supreme court

The April 2 five-four decision of the United States Supreme Court on campaign finance in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission has elicited the predictable polar opposite reactions from commentators. The decision has been hailed by many as reinforcing the fundamental Constitutional right of free speech and strengthening the role of the parties in the political process. Conversely, the decision has been vilified in some quarters as giving the wealthy a larger voice in politics than they may already have to the detriment, it is said, of the general public.

On Wednesday (6-26-13), the US Supreme Court struck down a key part of the Defense of Marriage Act... a section that had denied certain federal benefits to same sex couples. The court said that language unconstitutionally discriminated against gays and lesbians. And the decision prompted strong reactions closer to home. Aspen Public Radio’s Rebecca Kruth reports.